SHATTER ME

GIANNA I asked the Uber driver to park the car at the curbside of the Lux Hotel—where I'm meeting Colton. I got out of the car, my left hand going into my Louis Vuitton handbag as I glanced at the building entrance with excitement as though I could already see Colton's towering height. “Here, keep the change.” I walked away from the surprised driver, who thanked me after paying for my ride with a hundred-dollar note. I waved his thanks away, I was in a good mood. My excitement was the reason I couldn't wait for my driver or drive myself here, I thought an Uber would be faster. My face hurts with how much I was smiling; Colton and I have been dating for four years and have been engaged for three weeks now. All arrangements for our wedding have been made. In three days' time, I'm going to become Mrs. McPherson. I walked into the hotel lobby, smelling the flowers in my hand. TheLux hotel belongs to my family. The building was one of the largest in Chicago. It's also where most of Colton's party meetings take place. As someone who is in public office and running for mayor, Colton is a very busy man. He's also a gorgeous, kind, and charming man. It was no wonder he was called the Prince Charming of Chicago Central by the Daily Chicago Newspaper. The people love him, the papers love him and I love him. He's the kind of man every woman wants to get married to, smart, gorgeous, and charming. Lucky me. I know. He also has a very good heart. Though I wish he was open to a little bit of adventure in the bedroom department. So far, our bedroom play has been nothing but nonexistent, especially recently with all the preparations for the upcoming elections. Our s*x position has always been missionary. I tried everything to lure, seduce and convince him into spicing up our s*x life. Keeping my natural shyness on the side for the sake of our relationship, buying s*x toys online, whips, vibrators, and dildos. But to no avail. Unfortunately, Colton hates all the kinky stuff I'd love to explore. In fact, sometimes he made me feel dirty and ashamed, like I was a deviant or the spawn of Satan. The last time I had taken my best friend Tessa's advice and bought the sexiest, tiniest lingerie and leather handcuffs, then had tied myself up like a gift, waiting for him to unwrap in our condo had been the most humiliating experience of my life. While I had been waiting for him, my imagination had been running wild. I could see it in my mind's eye: Colton would walk in, see me spread and tied for him, and become instantly crazed with lust. He would strip out of his clothes, spanked me for being a bad girl, tease me mercilessly with the toys, then he would f****d me six ways to Sunday. Unfortunately, that never happened. When Colton strode into our bedroom that night, he had been shocked, alright. Shocked and disappointed, and the way he looked at me with disapproval after he'd untied me. Made all the confidence I had mustered to shrivel inside of me and die a horrible death. Then, later, he'd sat me down and asked if I was not happy with our relationship and asked me if he wasn't able to satisfy me sexually. I'd, of course, deny that, which was sort of true. In every three out of ten s*x we had he'd manage to make me come with a little prompting, which was what had given me hope that things might change when we finally tie the knot for the better. I thought maybe, just maybe someday I could convince him to try something new. That's if I manage to get my confidence back. Honestly, after what happened last time, I'm not looking forward to his disapproving stare. My self-confidence had suffered a huge blow and needed thorough therapy. No relationship is perfect. I've seen and heard that there are pros and cons to every relationship; for me, as long as the pros outweigh the cons, then I'm happy! “Hi Bel, Sam,” I greet the two women who just got out of the elevator. Belinda is a strong black woman in her late fifties and the current party leader of the New World Party(NWP) She's also a friend of my mother. Samantha is her PA. “Hi Gianna, here to see Colton I see.” “Yes, is he in? I called his phone but he wasn't picking up.” “Look at you, so worried about him. You guys make me jealous sometimes. Make me miss my younger days, aah! To be young and in love!” she teased pointedly, staring at the flowers I had bought for Colton. White roses! His favorite. “What do you mean younger days? You don't look older than thirty! I bet all the men in NWP would love to date you if they weren't afraid of you castrating them with that legendary temper, that is,” I tease her right back, giggling at her feigned shocked face. “You take that right back; I'm a peace-loving person; I'm seriously misunderstood,” she sniffed indignantly. Me and Sam snorted before we all burst out laughing. “Don't let me keep you, Gia; Colton is up in conference room 3; he's probably on his way down, I saw him with Becky in the hall,” Belinda said. “Right, thank you. I will just go bring him out; otherwise, he could spend the whole day speaking about politics,” I replied. “Bye, Bel, Sam,” I added, waving at them both before getting into the elevator. “Have a good day, Gia,” they both answer before the elevator steel door closes. Five minutes later I walk down the empty hallway towards the conference room. I smiled as I imagined the look on Colton's face when I told him the surprise I have for him. Three weeks ago, Colton had gone to Maya Daniel asking her for her support; he wanted her to join him on one of his campaigns. Maya Daniel is the granddaughter of a reputable legendary philanthropist who is loved and admired in Chicago; he was one of the original families who had first settled here. Having her support or her joining the party was a sure way that almost guaranteed they would win the elections. Fifty-year-old Maya had refused to join Colton's party, which had disappointed Colton greatly to the extent he'd been moping and unbearable for days. I didn't like it when he was like this. We always end up fighting. So I decided to go convince her to at least give him a chance and listen to his proposal. I've met her a few times during one of the charity auctions my grandma sometimes attends. Somehow, I managed to do it; luck must have been on my side. Because she agreed to meet up with Colton tomorrow at her family home. That was my surprise. I twisted the doorknob and pushed the door; my heart went cold even as blood rushed to my face in utter fury. Becky Colton, PA, was on her hands and knees on the long conference table, her ass open for all who walked in to see while Colton railed into her from behind, also half naked from the waist below. Their moans and groans filled the large room, which in itself was a shock. I should have been able to hear them way before I walked in, how did I not? My head was in the clouds thinking of what Colton would want, how he would react, how happy he would be, that I didn't hear them f*****g until I was staring right at them. I wonder how many things I've missed while I was with him all these years, how many times he'd cheated on me, with whom he'd cheated, whether or not he took them to our apartment and f**k them in our bed, how many of his friends and mine knew of his cheating ways. How many of our hotel staff knew about this! Something just shriveled and died inside me right then. I could deal with a lot of s**t from a man. Betrayal is not one of them! I've been betrayed before. By the man I love most in the entire universe, a man I thought would never do wrong. But he'd betrayed me. My father had walked out on us, breaking my young heart. And now Colton! Men were pigs! Dogs! No, not dogs, at least dogs were loyal to you, loyal to their owners. Ha! I should have known my life wouldn't be any different than my mother's, my five aunts, and my grandma's. Women of my family were cursed.